Pulmonary tuberculosis

We present a case of previously undiagnosed and unsuspected pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) identified on post mortem histology. The presentation of TB in the mortuary is reviewed and we present the key learning points regarding dealing with this infection in the post mortem patient.Trainees should appreciate that although a rare occurrence, pulmonary TB may go undiagnosed until after death, and given its ability to survive in the post mortem patient, the use of personal protective equipment is paramount.     

Utility of QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube Test Compared with Tuberculin Skin Test in Diagnosing Tuberculosis in Indian Children with Malnutrition

This prospective cohort study was conducted to compare the accuracy of QuantiFERON®-TB (QFT) Gold In-Tube test and tuberculin skin test (TST) in diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in predominantly bacille Calmette–Guerin-vaccinated children with a high incidence of malnutrition. The sensitivity of the QFT versus the TST was 69.6% versus 52.9% for WHO-defined TB, with specificity of 86% versus 78.3%, respectively. The concordance of the TST and QFT was 79% overall (κ = 0.430), 62.5% in those with WHO-defined TB and 85.7% in those without TB. Majority of the QFT+/TST − discordance was seen in children with TB, whereas majority of the TST+/QFT − discordance was seen in those without TB. The TST was more likely to be negative in children with moderate-to-severe malnutrition (P = 0.003) compared to the QFT, which was more likely to be positive in younger children. The significantly better performance of the QFT in malnourished children and those at younger ages supports its use for TB diagnosis in these subpopulations.     

The DosR antigen Rv1737c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis confers inflammation regulation in tuberculosis infection

There is an urgent need to identify the potential risk factors for activating latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. In this study, we evaluated the immune function of Rv1737c, which is a latency‐associated antigen of dormancy survival regulator (DosR) of M. tuberculosis in a mouse model. Our data showed that mice pretreated with recombinant Rv1737c (rRv1737c) exhibited higher levels of antigen‐specific antibodies (IgG, IgM and IgA) than sham‐treated mice. Following Bacilli Calmette‐Guerin (BCG) challenge, rRv1737c adjuvanted with cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) induced diffuse lung inflammation and fibrosis compared to the control mice. The inflammatory pathogenesis due to rRv1737c pre‐exposure was associated with a switch in the macrophage phenotype from M1 to activated M2 and was characterized by IL‐10 production. Intracellular cytokine analysis further showed that the rRv1737c‐pretreated mice exhibited an increased frequency of Th2 cells in the lungs, lymph nodes and spleen after BCG challenge. Furthermore, IFN‐γ expression increased in the lungs after rRv1737c pretreatment compared to that in the sham mice. Accordingly, lung cells from rRv1737c‐immunized mice stimulated with killed BCG produced higher levels of multiple cytokines, such as IFN‐γ, IL‐10 and IL‐6. The results confirmed that the pathological features of rRv1737c promoted inflammation. Overall, our findings provide direct evidence of the pro‐inflammatory function of rRv1737c in a murine model of BCG infection, indicating that Rv1737c is a pathogenic antigen of M. tuberculosis and may be key to the recurrence of latent infection.     

N-乙酰半胱氨酸治疗COPD合并肺结核临床观察

目的：评价N-乙酰半胱氨酸（NAC）对慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）合并肺结核患者肺功能、细胞免疫功能和生活质量的影响。方法：93例患者随机分为对照组47例和观察组46例，对照组予常规治疗，观察组加服NAC，6个月为一个疗程。比较抗结核作用、肺功能、细胞免疫功能和生活质量，记录不良反应。结果：治疗后，与对照组相比，观察组肺功能指标FEV₁/FVC和PEF，CD4+T、CD4+Foxp3+调节性T细胞亚群比例明显升高，CD4+/CD8+和SGRQ问卷中症状、活动、影响维度评分明显降低，组间均有显著性差异（P<0.05）。其余指标组间无差异。结论：NAC可明显改善COPD合并肺结核患者的肺功能、细胞免疫功能和生活质量，值得临床推广。     

优质护理干预对肺结核患者用药依从性的作用

目的对优质护理干预对肺结核患者用药依从性的作用进行观察。方法选择本院收治的120例肺结核患者作为本次研究的纳入对象,选取时间段为2017年1月-2018年1月,随机将这些患者划分为两组,甲组60例,乙组60例,采用常规护理方式护理甲组患者,在此基础上,应用优质护理干预的方式护理乙组患者,对两组患者的治疗依从性进行分析和比较。结果在经过精心的护理之后,甲组中23例完全依从,23例部分依从,14例不依从,总依从率达到了76.7%,乙组中37例完全依从,21例部分依从,2例不依从,总依从率达到了96.7%。乙组在总依从率方面相对于甲组而言更高(P <0.05)。结论采用优质护理干预的方式护理肺结核患者具有很好的效果,能够使患者的用药依从性得以显著提升,从而进一步保障患者的治疗效果。     

月华胶囊对耐多药结核分支杆菌感染自噬的影响

目的:以月华胶囊含药血清对耐多药结核分支杆菌感染小鼠单核巨噬细胞(RAW264.7)进行干预,探讨其对耐多药结核分支杆菌感染巨噬细胞自噬的作用及其机制。方法:低温冷冻干燥法制备月华胶囊,大鼠按3.02 g·kg^-1灌胃给药7 d,制备月华胶囊含药血清。体外培养RAW264.7,耐多药结核分子杆菌。以细胞增殖毒性检测试剂盒(CCK-8)检测含药血清对RAW264.7的增殖能力并选定其有效浓度。细胞分为模型组(10%胎牛血清);月华胶囊含药血清组(10%月华胶囊);自噬抑制剂3-甲基腺嘌呤(3-MA)+月华胶囊含药血清组(5 mg·L^-1的3-MA+10%月华胶囊含药血清);雷帕霉素(Rap)组(200 mg·L^-1的Rap+10%胎牛血清);正常组(10%胎牛血清)。除正常组外,各组细胞培养24 h后,按细胞-细菌1∶10感染4 h。透射电镜观察细胞自噬体的出现和形成;蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测细胞中I型微管相关蛋白轻链3(LC-3Ⅰ),Ⅱ型微管相关蛋白轻链3/I型微管相关蛋白1轻链3(LC-3Ⅱ/LC-3Ⅰ),Beclin-1蛋白的表达;间接免疫荧光染色法观察细胞中LC3B荧光颗粒、斑点及亮度;实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应(Real-time PCR)检测细胞中LC3,Beclin-1 mRNA的表达。结果:与正常组比较,模型组细胞未见自噬体,细胞中LC-3Ⅱ,LC-3Ⅱ/LC-3Ⅰ,Beclin-1蛋白及LC3,Beclin-1 mRNA的相对表达量均无显著变化,细胞无荧光颗粒、斑点,无荧光亮度。与模型组比较,月华胶囊含药血清组及Rap组细胞,均可观察到自噬体的形成,细胞LC-3Ⅱ,LC-3Ⅱ/LC-3Ⅰ,Beclin-1蛋白及LC3,Beclin-1 mRNA的相对表达量值均明显升高(P<0.05),月华胶囊含药血清组细胞荧光颗粒和荧光斑点明显增多,Rap组细胞荧光颗粒和荧光斑点增多非常明显,荧光闪亮,可判定细胞荧光呈现为阳性;自噬抑制剂3-MA+月华胶囊含药血清组细胞未见自噬体,细胞中LC-3Ⅱ,LC-3Ⅱ/LC-3Ⅰ,Beclin-1蛋白及LC3,Beclin-1 mRNA的相对表达量值均无明显升高。结论:月华胶囊含药血清能使耐多药结核分支杆菌感染细胞产生自噬而发挥抗结核的免疫效应,其机制是通过调控自噬相关蛋白LC3,Beclin-1蛋白及其mRNA的表达水平,促使LC3-I趋向LC3-Ⅱ的转化加快而实现的。     

"Triple Trouble" in A Case of Mass Lesion

Bronchogenic carcinoma, the commonest lung tumor occurs more frequently in the elderly with typical symptoms of cough, haemoptysis, weight loss, dyspnoea or chest pain. These symptoms mimic common respiratory infections in en-demic areas like pulmonary tuberculosis. Also, metastasis at presentation itself is common, the favoured sites being liver, contra-lateral lungs, bones, brain, etc., although unusual and rare sites like heart also are known. We herein report a rare association of both carcinoma with active pulmonary tuberculosis in the same lobe associated with intracardiac metastasis. Very few cases have been published describing lung carcinoma with intracardiac metastasis. We hope the documentation of this rare case will shed further light into the subject area and improve clinical education.     

左氧氟沙星治疗复治肺结核患者疗效评价

目的讨论左氧氟沙星治疗复治肺结核患者疗效。方法本院截止2018年4月-2019年3月阶段内收治的80例复治肺结核患者作为本次研究的观察对象,并随机将其分为对照组(实施常规治疗:异烟肼+利福平+乙胺丁醇+链霉素+吡嗪酰胺)与研究组(对照组基础上加用左氧氟沙星),而后对两组患者接受不同治疗后临床疗效及不良反应比的进行评定,其中显效、有效及无效的评定标准以CT检查及痰涂片检测为依据。结果研究组患者合计疗效的97.50%明显高于对照组的80.00%,差异有统计学意义(χ^2=6.134 6,P=0.013 2),P <0.05;研究组患者发生不良反应机率的12.50%虽然低于对照组的22.50%,但是差异不大,P> 0.05。结论常规治疗基础上加用左氧氟沙星可有效提高复治肺结核病症的临床治疗效果。     

Association of vitamin D levels and risk of latent tuberculosis in the hemodialysis population

BackgroundVitamin D is essential in the host defense against tuberculosis (TB). Suboptimal vitamin D status is common in the hemodialysis population. Hemodialysis patients have an increased risk compared to the general population latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). However, the association between vitamin D deficiency and LTBI in this population remains unclear.Materials and methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study between March and May 2017. Interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) through QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube was used to assess LTBI. Plasma 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD) levels were measured by Elecsys Vitamin D Total assay. Suboptimal vitamin D levels included vitamin D insufficiency 20–29 ng/mg and vitamin D deficiency <20 ng/mL. Predictors for LTBI were analyzed.ResultsA total of 287 participants were enrolled. The suboptimal vitamin D level was 31.4% (90/287), which including the vitamin D deficiency was 13.9% (40/287). A total of 49.1% (141/287) people received nutritional vitamin D supplementation. The prevalence of IGRA positivity in this study was 25.1% (72/287). There was no significant difference in vitamin D concentrations or the proportion of vitamin D supplementation among the IGRA-positive and IGRA-negative groups (p = 0.789 and 0.496, respectively). In multivariate analysis, age >65 years old (odds ratio (OR), 1.89; 95% CI, 1.08–3.31; p = 0.026) and TB history (OR, 3.51; 95% CI, 1.38–8.91; p = 0.008) were independent predictors of IGRA positivity.ConclusionThis is the first study to report that vitamin D deficiency was not associated with IGRA positivity in a hemodialysis population. Aging and TB history were both independent predictors for LTBI.     

多节段布鲁菌性脊柱炎与脊柱结核MRI特征分析

目的 探讨多节段布鲁菌性脊柱炎(BS)及脊柱结核(ST)在MRI中的不同影像特点,从而提高早期诊断及鉴别诊断水平。方法 回顾性分析33例由临床或病理确诊为多节段BS患者、30例多节段ST患者,根据两者MRI表现,分析其发生部位、椎体形态、周围组织情况及伴随征象。结果 多节段BS患者的椎体形态、椎间盘受累、后凸畸形、死骨及钙化、椎旁脓肿等所占比例与多节段ST患者的差异性具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 多节段BS与ST的MRI表现有不同征象,MRI有助于两者进行鉴别诊断。